Experts warn against Japan's militarism

Japan has repeatedly hyped up the so-called "China threat" narrative in recent years to justify its expanding military agenda, said experts, warning that portraying neighboring countries as "threats" has historically been a recurring tactic of Japanese militarism.

They said that the latest round of alarmist rhetoric once again reveals the ambitions of Japan's right-wing forces to loosen postwar constraints, expand military capabilities and advance a broader transformation of the country's security posture.

Japanese media outlets on Wednesday disclosed an outline of the government's 2026 defense white paper, which continues to portray the regional security environment as "increasingly severe", while calling for enhanced development in unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.

According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, the upcoming annual defense report largely follows the narrative of the 2025 edition, arguing that the international community has entered a "new era of crisis", characterizing the security environment in the "Indo-Pacific region" as "increasingly severe", and hyping up the so-called "China threat" theory.

The white paper states that defense production and technological capabilities are directly linked to defense strength. It advocates creating an "environment of mutual support" by deploying the same defense equipment as allies and other "like-minded" countries, the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that the 2026 white paper introduces a new section on "emerging modes of warfare", which stresses the need to expand the use of unmanned aerial systems and AI in defense operations.

Liu Shuliang, an associate researcher at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, said that Japan is moving beyond the bounds of its postwar defense posture and accelerating a broader remilitarization process associated with "new militarism" through measures such as revising its national security framework, enhancing offensive combat capabilities and integrating intelligence systems.

Through sustained lobbying by defense-related companies and capital groups, Japan's military-industrial complex has pushed for higher defense spending and fewer restrictions on arms exports, he said.

He mentioned that in early May, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi outlined Japan's revamped "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision during her visit to Vietnam. The policy line was later reaffirmed by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, a major defense forum held in Singapore.

"By advancing a revised 'free and open Indo-Pacific' vision and redefining its regional role, Japan is moving to expand its military reach while enhancing its influence in regional affairs. The strategy reflects Tokyo's growing ambition to play a larger role in shaping the regional security order, a move that carries clear geopolitical implications and has raised concerns over its impact on regional stability," he added.

Chen Hong, director of East China Normal University's Asia-Pacific Studies Centre in Shanghai, said that Japan's continued hype surrounding tensions in the so-called "Indo-Pacific region" is aimed at fueling bloc confrontation and creating exclusive groupings that run counter to the region's need for openness, cooperation and stability.

By deepening economic and security ties with the Quad, a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, the Philippines and other so-called allies or "quasi-alliances", Japan has increasingly pushed regional countries to choose sides, aggravating bloc confrontation and adding to tensions in the region, he said.

Liu from Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences also said that Japan and the Philippines — a victim of Japanese militarism and invasion during World War II — stepped up military collaboration in early May, exploring the transfer of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels, including used destroyer escorts.

"The international community should clearly recognize the risks and potential destabilizing effects associated with Japan's accelerated remilitarization and its evolving security posture. It may therefore consider appropriate responses to address a more assertive and increasingly controversial direction in Japan's defense policy," he said.